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Story
Treatment '''WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE?''' Trawl through the relics from the mysterious disappearance of a man who woke up to a reality none of us can even dream of. Our concept is taken from Ray Nelson’s [[Story#Orginal_Story|short story]] and our project will focus on expanding the events after George’s death. ‘One of the subjects awoke all the way. This had never happened before. His name was George Nada and he blinked out at the sea of faces in the theatre, at first unaware of anything out of the ordinary’ ''(Eight O'Clock, Ray Nelson)'' The original story does not flesh out George as a character outside his situation of awakening. In this respect, we reveal George’s origin story by framing him as an ordinary man who is thrust into an entirely new reality. We plan on using Tumblr for this aspect of the world, and have maintained consistent posts which gives an ordinary picture of his life in the lead up to his awakening and disappearance. ‘George did not live to see the victory that finally came’ ''(Eight O'Clock, Ray Nelson)'' The blog will link to a number of other important tent pole pieces of media that build upon the world and further the story arc. The work is contextually important as it touches thematically on issues that are marketable to an active online audience through it’s subtle nods to conspiracy theories, privacy in the online sphere, government censorship etc. It also points at the mass media and how the elite use the media in order to control humanity. ''“Our impulses are being redirected. We are living in an artificially induced state of consciousness that resembles sleep. (…) The poor and the underclass are growing. Racial justice and human rights are non-existent. They have created a repressive society, and we are their unwitting accomplices. Their intention to rule rests with the annihilation of consciousness. We have been lulled into a trance. They have made us indifferent to ourselves, to others. We are focused only on our own gain. Please understand. They are safe as long as they are not discovered. That is their primary method of survival. Keep us asleep, keep us selfish, keep us sedated.”'' (They Live – 1988 film adaptation of Eight o’clock in the Morning) The other major components of the project are connected to the blog and form a multiplicity of pathways and viewpoints from which to view the project. There is no defined pathway and users can enter from any element and trawl through archives as much as they want to in order to form on overall picture of the timeline and key events. This is a simplistic outline of the key pieces of media and how they connect. We anticipate the hypnotists website will act as the primary entry point, as it is the element that we are advertising as the starting point of the project. Here is an early mock up of the design which aims to heighten the mystery surrounding the return of our hypnotist character Nelson Ray. The hypnotist is a derived character and does not exist in the original story. We took ideas from the original story and decided to build a character from the prominent themes of hypnotism and being awake versus being asleep or under a spell. ''“No,” he said. “I mean really wake up.” She looked at him without comprehension, so he snapped his fingers and shouted, “Wake up! The masters command that you wake up!” (Eight O'Clock, Ray Nelson)'' We have pulled out the major plot points from the story as well as refashioning them and creating our own. The major plot point is the awakening of George, which is happening, simultaneously with the return of the hypnotist. The two remain unconnected until the documentary students act as the catalyst that connects the two story threads. We felt that by including the documentary students, it would make the project more accessible to a range of users and enhance their experience of the story as it provides a commentary on the events as they unfold. Another important aspect of the transmedia story is Lily’s blog that she starts up after George goes missing. This is an important artefact as it continues the story from George’s point of view and as the information comes out, Lily remains as a reliable source who has been accidently caught up in the unfurling drama. This blog gives audiences following the events a space which links back to the entire narrative of the story to see the plot points they may have misinterpreted or misread. It is a good ‘tying up’ of loose ends. Lily's blog is especially important in revealing the role of Chief Robinson which is discussed in the original story. We used this [http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2012/04/17/25-things-you-should-know-about-transmedia-storytelling/ quote] to help us nut out the technical and creative elements. Transmedia relies on strong transitional elements — how do you move the audience across the many spaces? How do you remove obstacles? How do you get them to want to overcome the obstacles you’re incapable of removing? Story bridges and rabbit holes — places they can cross knowingly or spots they can fall into the narrative unexpectedly — are necessary components to the infrastructure. Controlling Idea Eight O’ Clock in the Morning is driven by the idea that one should always be sceptical of the fourth estate, and that trusting those around you is a dangerous and careless act. Many cultural theorists believe that the traditional cultural values of Western society are degenerating under the influences of corporate politics, the commercialization of culture and the impact of mass media. “Society is awakening from its fascination with television entertainment to find itself stripped of tradition, controlled by an oppressive power structure and bound to the credit obligations of a defunct American dream” – [http://www.westland.net/venice/art/cronk/consumer.htm Rip Conk 1996] Eight O’ Clock in the Morning exhibits a dystopia where television and other forms of mass media have been exploited by aliens in order to facilitate a totalitarian regime under which they hypnotise their subjects. Although the notion of aliens is quite far-fetched, the idea that the mass media has agency and power over the general viewing public is one that could drive our narrative as it is applicable to the current landscape. “Mass media perpetuates the myth of consumerism as a priority of the New Capitalism. As America settles into its nightly routine of television viewing, corporate profiteers are quick to substitute the lure of material luxury and consumer gratification for the fading spirit. Media advertising sells an image -- an empty shell” – [http://www.westland.net/venice/art/cronk/consumer.htm Rip Conk 1996] Using this note of suspicion around the mass media could potentially work in our favour as we build the world around George who is suspicious of TV advertising and subliminal messages. Creating a social media ‘panic’ around the issues of privacy and control would not be a difficult to initiate as there is pre-existing paranoia surrounding the power of the media. Characters Nelson Ray 525171_10151475037583323_2036977582_n.jpg|Nelson Ray's comeback poster|link=www.nelsonray.net Screen shot 2013-05-20 at 11.11.48 PM.png|Nelson Ray's Twitter Profile|link=https://twitter.com/NelsonRayAwake 486873 10151486841488323 698120590 n.jpg|Nelson at his comeback show|link=www.nelsonray.net Screen shot 2013-05-20 at 11.11.09 PM.png|Nelson Ray's Website|link=www.nelsonray.net In the project, Nelson Ray was portrayed by Thomas Reed. Here are some notes we have constructed around the character. Nelson Ray is the embodiment of an “Overnight Sensation”. From performing small obscure shows for pittance and free beers, to selling out huge auditoriums across the globe, Nelson’s rise up the ladder of fame puts him somewhere between Justin Bieber and Barrack Obama However the popularity, daytime TV appearances and multiple book deals haven’t gone to his head. Nelson still retains the soft-spoken, humble manner that he had before the packed houses of adoring fans and his whole approach to hypnosis reflects this nature. For Nelson it’s not about pulling stunts and making people do things against their will for the entertainment of others, it’s about helping people. Helping people to move past their mental demons and to show them their own potential when presented with the right opportunities and perspectives. It’s something that he maintains in his work today. At some point during his time at the top, and due to his experience in the field of perspective manipulation, Nelson became aware of the Fascinator invasion and the control they exerted upon humankind. His subsequent disappearance was a result of this discovery, and he spent most of this time researching methods to ‘wake up’ the world to the monsters that were walking among them. After months of nothing, Nelson, opting to take a different approach to it, realized that he didn’t need to wake up the whole world, just one person who would get the ball rolling. That person being George. In this sense for the story Nelson acts as an antagonistic mentor to George’s protagonist. He pushes him out of his comfort zone and forces him to confront the conflict that makes up the bulk of story. However he is antagonistic because he doesn’t help George in anyway once he’s ‘woken’ him up, he simply pushes him into the deep end of the pool, and runs off again. He is not a focal point of the story, but an instigator for other characters. This is a reflection on his personality: he doesn’t see himself as being important, rather his work is the most defining element of his character. Nelson Ray is not the main character, but his actions are the source and drive of the narrative. George Nada George Nada is your typical resident of Wakefield. He graduated from university with honours, and has been working as a dentist at a well-respected dental practice ever since. Now in his early 20s, he feels his life can only be complete if he shares it with the right person. He thought that person would be Lilly, his long term girlfriend, but after she rejected his marriage proposal this belief has been weakened. George is a kind-hearted man, helpful to those around him, polite in all situations, and always a calm temperament. At work, his patients are made comfortable by his relaxed and open demeanour, not to mention his friendly smile. George enjoys sports, both watching and playing, reading, watching films, and has recently taken up cooking. He lives a relatively quiet life, but always has a sense he is meant to do more. When George discovers The Fascinators, he is predominantly terrified, but a small part of him knows he has always been waiting for some kind of adventure like this. He sees this as an opportunity to test himself. Nada was portrayed by Brendan McDougall. Police Chief Robinson At age 32, Andrew Robinson was the most promising Police Chief in the history of Wakefield police station. Climbing early in his career, his reputation remained solid and respectable throughout his many years of service. His tall, well-built physique, thick brown hair and handsome face also made him a favourable candidate for media conferences and highly encouraged Wakefield police station to be viewed in a positive light by the public. Married with two kids, Robinson took pride in his work and family. His life was happy, meaningful and worthwhile. Until, of course, he was killed by a Fascinator, and his body used as a cover. After this, Chief Robinson simply becomes a puppet for the Fascinators in charge, His primary objective is to keep the humans happy, calm, and unsuspecting. Being a Fascinator, he is ruthless, and does not hesitate in killing humans to maintain Fascinator control; no different to any other Fascinator. Slowly he has orchestrated the entire police department to be Fascinators, and so lives relatively comfortably knowing the Fascinators remain in control. Until, of course, George Nada comes into play. During this George Nada saga, Chief Robinson becomes increasingly pressured to bring the situation under control. He feels he was too relaxed and comfortable, and not ready for the sudden appearance of an awoken human. Despite his best efforts, George succeeds in awakening a significant number of the city. To add to his misfortunes, Chief Robinson also fails to track down Nelson Ray. Lily Saunders In the project Lily's voice was played by Zoe Davies. Cupcake designer who works at her own patisserie and met George 2 years ago when he ''filled her cavity. ''George regularly posts photos of Lily’s creations, and posts a few photos of her. She lives in the apartment she used to share with George who moved out when she rejected his proposal. She felt that George was not ready for marriage and needed to find himself before he could be with her. After the hypnotist event George goes to their old apartment and ties her up (not shown as part of the ‘story’) Chief Robinson discovers Lily and takes her back to the police station and attempts to persuade her that the hypnotist is behind George’s insanity and his disappearance. Lily receives a tip off in the form of police audio logs and phone calls between the Fascinators. From that she starts a campaign against the hypnotist because she thinks the hypnotist is behind George’s disappearance. She starts up a campaign titled [http://www.tumblr.com/blog/helpfindgeorge WHAT HAPPENED TO GEORGE] which includes posters, handouts and a running commentary on her discovery of the truth behind George's dissapearence. Lily discovers the truth behind George’s disappearance and exposes the reign of the Fascinators and goes into hiding after sparking the [http://thefascinatorsarehere.weebly.com/ webpage] alerting the rest of the world about the Facinators. Screen shot 2013-05-20 at 10.53.13 AM.png|Screenshot from Lily's Blog|link=http://www.tumblr.com/blog/helpfindgeorge Screen shot 2013-05-21 at 12.01.41 AM.png|Screen Shot from Lily's Blog|link=http://www.tumblr.com/blog/helpfindgeorge helpfindgeorge.jpg|Missing Poster Lily Made|link=http://www.tumblr.com/blog/helpfindgeorge Screen shot 2013-05-21 at 9.35.35 AM.png|Audio Logs from Cheif Robinson|link=http://www.tumblr.com/blog/helpfindgeorge Sam Cummins Sam Cummins is one of the students who is working on the documentary charting [http://www.nelsonray.net/ Nelson Ray's] comeback. He is the director of the documentary, and is always striving to explore things that are relatively untapped in society. He is co-owner of the [http://thehypnosisexperience.wordpress.com/ blog ] set up in order to chronicle their journey through making the documentary and directed the footage in the promo videos below. In striving for a special hook within their story, his attention to detail helps uncover the real story below the surface of Nelson Ray's comeback show. After first considering a career in musical theatre, Sam became interested in the chasm between truth and performance. After performing in award winning shows such as [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pink_Panther The Pink Panther,] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(2011_musical) The Wizard of Oz] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rent_(musical) RENT] he was invited to star in the 2009 film [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Gay_Musical The Big Gay Musical]. It was during filming Sam decided to finish with the theatre and move on to documenting the process behind it. He returned to study and has been making documentary films ever since. Zoe Annabel Zoe Annabel is one of the students who is working on the documentary charting [http://www.nelsonray.net/ Nelson Ray's] comeback. She takes the role of producer She is co-owner of the [http://thehypnosisexperience.wordpress.com/ blog ] set up in order to chronicle their journey through making the documentary and helped shoot the footage in the promo videos below. Her finely tuned producer and managerial skills were the catalyst for turning a relatively small scale story, into one that involved the world's most famous hypnotist. This was a result of connections she had developed in other documentary projects, as well as her savvy communication skills. The Fascinators The Fascinators are the ruling class in the story world,they have put the entire population under hypnosis where they are constantly in exposed to their messages of propaganda and control. Under the spell of the Fascinators, they appear as normal humans, if awakened humans would be able to see them for the reptilian class they really are. From the original text: ''He left the theatre, pushing out into the neon night, carefully avoiding any indication that he saw the green, reptilian flesh or the multiple yellow eyes of the rulers of the earth. One of them asked him, “Got a light buddy?” George gave him a light, then moved on.'' At intervals along the street George saw the posters hanging with photographs of the Fascinators’ multiple eyes and various commands printed under them, such as, “Work eight hours, play eight hours, sleept eight hours,” and “Marry and Reproduce.” A TV set in the window of a store caught George’s eye, but he looked away in the nick of time. When he didn’t look at the Fascinator in the screen, he could resist the command, “Stay tuned to this station.” George lived alone in a little sleeping room, and as soon as he got home, the first thing he did was to disconnect the TV set. In other rooms he could hear the TV sets of his neighbors, though. Most of the time the voices were human, but now and then he heard the arrogant, strangely bird-like croaks of the aliens. “Obey the government,” said one croak. “We are the government, ” said another. “We are your friends, you’d do anything for a friend, wouldn’t you?” Plot '''Our key plot points that drive the story further in chronological order include:''' - Hypnotist Nelson Ray deciding to come out of retirement, and announcing a come back show that is an attempt to free the world of oppressive creatures masquerading as key social figures, using his hypnosis skills. - Nelson Ray meets a dejected dentist George Nada at a bar, who has just been knocked back after proposing to his girlfriend. Ray decides that George Nada, given his vulnerable emotional state, is the perfect conduit for revealing the truth to the world. He urges Nada to come to his hypnosis show where he plans to “awaken him” and begin to unlock the truth. - George Nada attends Nelson Ray’s comeback show where he is hypnotised and is awoken fully for the first time, and begins to see the world as it truly is. After an encounter with Nada, this is also where the documentary students filming a documentary on Nelson Ray, start to notice something strange about the world he inhabits. - After George Nada goes on a rampage and attempts to reveal the truth to the world through a television broadcast, the incognito alien rulers of society called “The Fascinators” go into crisis mode and eliminate George Nada and try to cover up the truth he has revealed through a series of media reports. They also brainwash George’s girlfriend Lily Saunders into believing the hypnotist caused George to die, and she starts a smear campaign against the hypnotist entitled “What Happened to George?” - Whilst ‘The Fascinators’ attempt to cover up their crimes, general public unrest ensues, and civilians start to become savvy to the oppressive society they have been caught up in. This results in an anonymous tip-off to Lily Saunders that includes a police audio recording of Chief Robinson explaining the government and police cover up. This recording is posted online on Lily’s blog and truth is finally revealed, resulting in a civilian uprising. George is dead World Our story world consists of an expansion of Ray Nelson’s dystopian short story 8 o’clock in the morning. Because the plot transcends a particular time period, we have placed our story within a modern setting, whereby social media is a prominent part of the way people communicate. This has shaped the framework for the presentation of our projects as the key narrative plot points play out in an online setting. Even the mediums that are not unique to the network play out in an online setting. Which is why a modern day techno-centric society is vital to the creation of our story world. At the centre of our story universe are the Fascinators, who are essentially the secret ruling class of the semi-dystopian world in Ray Nelson’s story. Our expansion on this is to assume that the Fascinators have ultimate control over every aspect of how society is run, including the media; which is the avenue in which we are choosing to represent the Fascinator’s voice through. As a result of this oppressive, highly regulated nanny state, any activity that is reactionary against the fascinator’s system would have be to exist on a subterranean level. Therefore, the uprising of the citizens, executed by hypnotist Nelson Ray, must be subtle and relatively underground. Having Nelson Ray, who was previously a fringe character in the original story who had no name or presence, as a representative of this societal uprising makes perfect sense. His role as a hypnotist ties into the type of secretive behaviour required of such an uprising, and expands on the original world in which author Ray Nelson placed George Nada in the centre. In our expansion of the original story, George Nada acts as a conduit for the hypnotist, thus placing more emphasis on the hypnotist’s role in the story world. Essentially, our story world contains two different societies that exist concurrently with one another. The first is a modern world not too dissimilar to our own, whereby technology reigns supreme, and acts as the primary source of communication for its citizens. Below the surface of this first world, exists a second, more sinister world that is controlled by foreign alien-like creatures that are masquerading as humans. This is the "true world" in our story, that is slowly unveiled through key characters in our story. The uprising of its citizens against these creatures plays out much like a civillian uprising against a totalitarian regime in today's society. Map Entry Points We have enlisted a number of channels and platforms to deliver our story to and from. By using each platform as a potential entry point we have crafted an experience that is circular and can be accessed from any point in the actual narrative or practical entry point. Below is a list of entry points, the platforms they exist in and the audience they are aiming to attract. '''Community Hub: [http://nelsonray.net/ The Hypnotist's Website] which is dedicated to building the story world and managing the community of interest around the story. ''' This particular entry point the one we anticipate users will use as the central space to ‘keep up’ with the most recent updates and happenings within the story world. It will act as the ‘tent pole’ piece of media. This point of entry is designed to immerse participants into the story world and providing them with selectable ‘clues’ and ‘leads’ to follow and analyse. ''' ''' '''Physical Installation: Posters and Event Spruiking''' By putting up posters and handing out flyers, we attempted to create a moment of interaction and intrigue as a major entry point into the project. The posters contained the link to the Community Hub that led to an invitation to attend the live event. This entry point was designed to herd a large volume of bodies into the projects, some of whom we anticipated would be intrigued enough to follow the links through and interact with other strands of the story. We also decided to ‘spruik’ the hypnotists live show and hand out flyers directly to the public, inviting them to book free tickets, this encouraged a high level of physical engagement into the project and acted as a highly enticing call to action which would result in physical interaction with the project which we anticipated would lead to further interaction online. '''Social Media Storytelling: [http://georgenada8.tumblr.com/ Tumblr] & [https://twitter.com/NelsonRayAwake Twitter.]''' By using a range of existing social media networks, we aimed to use both Twitter and Tumbler as entry points to deliver the most ‘sensational’, alluring parts of our project in the hope of catching new audiences attention. Social media is an important entry point as it attracts users who are prone to ‘interest clicking’ which means that they do not hesitate to click on a link if they are intrigued by it. Neither are they afraid to ‘go down the rabbit hole’ of links and journeys. However, this audience generally has a short attention span and is not prone to extended interaction with abstract or multi-platform projects. Despite this, we felt it was important to include a social media based point of access as it makes the project available such a vast audience. Themes A prominent theme of our project is the political aspects embedded within the story. Several elements in Eight O'clock in the Morning are suggestive of this political theme, particularly the concept of the 'Fascinators.' They are placed as the controlling entity of the environment, but in a way that is unbeknown to all other subjects in the story except George and hypnotist Nelson Ray. The Fascinators remain dominant by communicating messages via commercial platforms - posters stating phrases such as "Work eight hours, play eight hours, sleep eight hours," and television programs including phrases such as "Obey the government, we are the government." This theme is communicated in our project through making references to the Fascinators in a variety of subtle and not so subtle ways. Links to pages from Nelson Ray's website implying Fascinator expulsion end in an abrupt 'page not found' blank page. Constant references to being awake, watched or asleep are made throughout the project, such as the creation of a recurring location, Blinker's Bar. Eight O’Clock in the Morning also presents very strongly the theme of rebellion. This is not just a simple rebellion, but a complex kind of ‘underdog’ rebellion in which the protagonist single-handedly attempts to bring down the villainous dictators he has woken up to. There is a constant theme of the power of rebellion, tied to the underdog, good and bad, and dictatorship. Our aim was to communicate this overall rebellion theme, and the underlying themes that come with it, throughout the entire project. Each separate video, article, radio piece and any other aspect of our project is be centred around the invasion, and hence, the eventual rebellion of George and the other humans. This is communicated through videos of George posted his blog, detailing his rebellion, voice recordings of Police Chief Robinson documenting his hunt for George, and taking a perspective from students filming a documentary. These elements all have the intent of either informing the user of the invasion, and encouraging a certain sympathy to be taken with George, Nelson Ray, and those against the Fascinators. A variety of perspectives are included in the project to give the user ample exploration opportunities, and to create depth within the story world. Scripts Orginal Story '''Eight O'Clock in the Morning - Ray Nelson''' At the end of the show the hypnotist told his subjects, “Awake.” Something unusual happened. One of the subjects awoke all the way. This had never happened before. His name was George Nada and he blinked out at the sea of faces in the theatre, at first unaware of anything out of the ordinary. Then he noticed, spotted here and there in the crowd, the non-human faces, the faces of the Fascinators. They had been there all along, of course, but only George was really awake, so only George recognized them for what they were. He understood everything in a flash, including the fact that if he were to give any outward sign, the Fascinators would instantly command him to return to his former state, and he would obey. He left the theatre, pushing out into the neon night, carefully avoiding any indication that he saw the green, reptilian flesh or the multiple yellow eyes of the rulers of the earth. One of them asked him, “Got a light buddy?” George gave him a light, then moved on. At intervals along the street George saw the posters hanging with photographs of the Fascinators’ multiple eyes and various commands printed under them, such as, “Work eight hours, play eight hours, sleept eight hours,” and “Marry and Reproduce.” A TV set in the window of a store caught George’s eye, but he looked away in the nick of time. When he didn’t look at the Fascinator in the screen, he could resist the command, “Stay tuned to this station.” George lived alone in a little sleeping room, and as soon as he got home, the first thing he did was to disconnect the TV set. In other rooms he could hear the TV sets of his neighbors, though. Most of the time the voices were human, but now and then he heard the arrogant, strangely bird-like croaks of the aliens. “Obey the government,” said one croak. “We are the government, ” said another. “We are your friends, you’d do anything for a friend, wouldn’t you?” “Obey!” “Work!” Suddenly the phone rang. George picked it up. It was one of the Fascinators. “Hello,” it squawked. “This is your control, Chief of Police Robinson. You are an old man, George Nada. Tomorrow morning at eight o’clock, your heart will stop. Please repeat.” “I am an old man,” said George. “Tomorrow morning at eight o’clock, my heart will stop.” The control hung up “No, it wont,” whispered George. He wondered why they wanted him dead. Did they suspect that he was awake? Probably. Someone might have spotted him, noticed that he didn’t respond the way the others did. If George were alive at one minute after eight tomorrow morning, then they would be sure. “No use waiting here for the end,” he thought. He went out again. The posters, the TV, the occasional commands from passing aliens did not seem to have absolute power over him, though he still felt strongly tempted to obey, to see things the way his master wanted him to see them. He passed an alley and stopped. One of the aliens was alone there, leaning against the wall. George walked up to him. “Move on,” grunted the thing, focusing his deadly eyes on George. George felt his grasp on awareness waver. For a moment the reptilian head dissolved into the face of a lovable old drunk. Of course the drunk would be lovable. George picked up a brick and smashed it down on the old drunk’s head with all his strength. For a moment the image blurred, then the blue-green blood oozed out of the face and the lizard fell, twitching and writhing. After a moment it was dead. George dragged the body into the shadows and searched it. There was a tiny radio in its pocket and a curiously shaped knife and fork in another. The tiny radio said something in an incomprehensible language. George put it down beside the body, but kept the eating utensils. “I can’t possibly escape,” thought George. “Why fight them?” But maybe he could. What if he could awaken others? That might be worth a try. He walked twelve blocks to the apartment of his girl friend, Lil, and knocked on her door. She came to the door in her bathrobe. “I want you to wake up,” he said “I’m awake,” she said. “Come on in.” He went in. The TV was playing. He turned it off. “No,” he said. “I mean really wake up.” She looked at him without comprehension, so he snapped his fingers and shouted, “Wake up! The masters command that you wake up!” “Are you off your rocker, George?” she asked suspiciously. “You sure are acting funny.” He slapped her face. “Cut that out!” she cried, “What the hell are you up to anyway?” “Nothing,” said George, defeated. “I was just kidding around.” “Slapping my face wasn’t just kidding around!” she cried. There was a knock at the door. George opened it. It was one of the aliens. “Can’t you keep the noise down to a dull roar?” it said. The eyes and reptilian flesh faded a little and George saw the flickering image of a fat middle-aged man in shirtsleeves. It was still a man when George slashed its throat with the eating knife, but it was an alien before it hit the floor. He dragged it into the apartment and kicked the door shut. “What do you see there?” he asked Lil, pointing to the many-eyed snake thing on the floor. “Mister…Mister Coney,” she whispered, her eyes wide with horror. “You…just killed him, like it was nothing at all.” “Don’t scream,” warned George, advancing on her. “I won’t George. I swear I won’t, only please, for the love of God, put down that knife.” She backed away until she had her shoulder blades pressed to the wall. George saw that it was no use. “I’m going to tie you up,” said George. “First tell me which room Mister Coney lived in.” “The first door on your left as you go toward the stairs,” she said. “Georgie…Georgie. Don’t torture me. If you’re going to kill me, do it clean. Please, Georgie, please.” He tied her up with bedsheets and gagged her, then searched the body of the Fascinator. There was another one of the little radios that talked a foreign language, another set of eating utensils, and nothing else. George went next door. When he knocked, one of the snake-things answered, “Who is it?” “Friend of Mister Coney. I wanna see him,” said George. “He went out for a second, but he’ll be right back.” The door opened a crack, and four yellow eyes peeped out. “You wanna come in and wait?” “Okay,” said George, not looking at the eyes. “You alone here?” he asked as it closed the door, its back to George. “Yeah, why?” He slit its throat from behind, then searched the apartment. He found human bones and skulls, a half-eaten hand. He found tanks with huge fat slugs floating in them. “The children,” he thought, and killed them all. There were guns too, of a sort he had never seen before. He discharged one by accident, but fortunately it was noiseless. It seemed to fire little poisoned darts. He pocketed the gun and as many boxes of darts he could and went back to Lil’s place. When she saw him she writhed in helpless terror. “Relax, honey” he said, opening her purse, “I just want to borrow your car keys.” He took the keys and went downstairs to the street. Her care was still parked in the same general area in which she always parked it. He recognized it by the dent in the right fender. He got in, started it, and began driving aimlessly. He drove for hours, thinking–desperately searching for some way out. He turned on the car radio to see if he could get some music, but there was nothing but news and it was all about him, George Nada, the homicidal maniac. The announcer was one of the masters, but he sounded a little scared. Why should he be? What could one man do? George wasn’t surprised when he saw the road block, and he turned off on a side street before he reached it. No little trip to the country for you, Georgie boy, he thought to himself. They had just discovered what he had done back at Lil’s place, so they would probably be looking for Lil’s car. He parked it in an alley and took the subway. There were no aliens on the subway, for some reason. Maybe they were too good for such things, or maybe it was just because it was so late at night. When one finally did get on, George got off. He went up to the street and went into a bar. One of the Fascinators was on the TV, saying over and over again, “We are your friends. We are your friends. We are your friends.” The stupid lizard sounded scared. Why? What could one man do against all of them? George ordered a beer, the it suddenly struck him that the Fascinator on the TV no longer seemed to have any power over him. He looked at it again and thought, “It has to believe it can master me to do it. The slightest hint of fear on its part and the power to hypnotize is lost.” They flashed George’s picture on the TV screen and George retreated to the phone booth. He called his control, the Chief of Police. “Hello, Robinson?” he asked. “Speaking.” “This is George Nada. I’ve figured out how to wake people up.” “What? George, hang on. Where are you?” Robinson sounded almost hysterical. He hung up and paid and left the bar. They would probably trace his call. He caught another subway and went downtown. It was dawn when he entered the building housing the biggest of the city’s TV studios. He consulted the building director and then went up in the elevator. The cop in front of the studio recognized him. “Why, you’re Nada!” he gasped. George didn’t like to shoot him with the poison dart gun, but he had to. He had to kill several more before he got into the studio itself, including all the engineers on duty. There were a lot of police sirens outside, excited shouts, and running footsteps on the stairs. The alien was sitting before the the TV camera saying, “We are your friends. We are your friends,” and didn’t see George come in. When George shot him with the needle gun he simply stopped in mid-sentence and sat there, dead. George stoond near him and said, imitating the alien croak, “Wake up. Wake up. See us as we are and kill us!” It was George’s voice the city heard that morning, but it was the Fascinator’s image, and the city did awake for the very first time and the war began. George did not live to see the victory that finally came. He died of a heart attack at exactly eight o’clock. Extended Story The following is an overview of the story elements extended before, during and after the original story. '''BEFORE''' Nelson Ray, a retired world-renowned hypnotist, is a regular at Blinker's, a bar located just down the road from his apartment. One night, Nelson experiences a weird encounter with a stranger. Never revealing his identity, the stranger approached a relatively tipsy Nelson, looked into his eyes and said one word to him: 'awake'. Perplexed, Nelson soon became aware someone had tried to hypnotise him, and thought nothing of it until leaving the bar. It was then that he discovered the Fascinators. Nelson knew he had been awoken for a reason. He decided to stage a come back show - one show only - where he'd attempt to awake another. A couple of nights before the show, Nelson meets George Nada at Blinker's. George had just proposed to his girlfriend, Lilly, and been rejected. He is a dentist by trade, and it was through this work that he met Lilly; Lilly is a cake maker and has quite the sweet tooth. After rejecting George's proposal, Lilly tells George she needs some time to think. Nelson takes a liking to George, and decides he would awaken George, believing meeting George to be some kind of sign. Nelson invites George to his come back show. Meanwhile, Police Chief Andrew Robinson reads about Nelson's comeback show in the papers, and deems the entire thing suspicious. He makes a note to watch over the show and those that attend, and in particular, closely watch Nelson. '''DURING''' George attends Nelson's show, where he is successfully awoken by Nelson. After the show, Nelson follows George, worried for his safety. George cannot believe what he is seeing. He attempts to act normal, knowing if he shows signs of his new found awareness he will raise suspicions. Police Chief Robinson receives a tip off from an informant that George is acting suspiciously. This confirms his own suspicions about the hypnotist show, and he decides to take action and schedule George to die. He calls George at his home. After receiving the call from Chief Robinson, George walks to Lilly's apartment and waits outside. He sees Lilly's neighbour is a fascinator. He runs to Lilly's apartment, and after she doesn't wake up, ties her up after killing her neighbour. Chief Robinson arrives at the scene shortly after George drives off in Lilly's car. He immediately realises the serious nature of the situation. He comforts Lilly, takes her down to the police station, and convinces her Nelson is to blame for George's erratic behaviour. George drives to Blinker's, hoping to find Nelson there. Nelson is unfortunately nowhere to be seen. George calls Chief Robinson, threatening to awake others. He then leaves, heading down town. Chief Robinson tracks George's call to Blinker's, but arrives too late to catch him. George sends out a broadcast to the city, but unfortunately only half the population sees the broadcast. He dies on schedule at 8 o'clock in the morning. '''AFTER''' Nelson watches from afar as George breaks into the television studios, and does not come out. He realises it was him that put George in that situation, and that ultimately caused his death. Nelson decides to go on the run. Chief Robinson searches for Nelson, whilst trying to keep the city calm. He issues several statements to the media - fellow fascinators - that George was having a mental breakdown, brought on by his attendance at Nelson's hypnotist show, and that Nelson is missing and wanted for questioning. Lilly is convinced George was suffering a breakdown. She begins a smear campaign of Nelson, until she starts receiving information from an anonymous source that George may not have been having a breakdown; voice recordings and videos suggesting an invasion, and that Nelson was being used as a cover story. She then begins a 'what happened to George' campaign. Those in the city that woke to George's broadcast begin to form an army, and slowly learn how to awaken others. Eventually the end comes for the Fascinators. Audio Logs Both these audio pieces work to reveal the truth behind George's dissapearence and to show Chief Robinson as complicent all along. Both are uploaded onto [http://www.tumblr.com/blog/helpfindgeorge Lily's Blog] via an anonymous email to her helpfindgeroge@hotmail.com address. '''Recorded conversation between Chief Robinson and Lily after George has tied her up and killed Mr Coney.''' Sounds of fumbling as the recording device is switched on. Chief Robinson clears his throat. [Chief Robinson] Recording taken from interview room 2, 2030 hours. Interview conducted by Police Chief Andrew Robinson. Interviewee: Ms Lilly Saunders. Ms Saunders was found at 1930 hours tied up in her apartment, located at Listless Apartments on Seymour Avenue, Wakefield. Two residents in the apartment next to Ms Saunders’ have been brutally murdered. Investigations are being conducted on Ms Saunders’ former partner, Mr George Nada. I’m sorry you had to go through that, Ms Saunders. [Sounds of Lilly sobbing] [Chief Robinson cont.] We have reason to believe George was influenced in some way by this man. [Sounds of a paper being placed on the table] Do you recognise this man? [Lilly] Isn’t he that hypnotist? [Chief Robinson] Let the record state the photograph is of retired hypnotist Mr Nelson Ray who has recently announced his come back. Ray is wanted for questioning over involvement in conspiracy theories, which threaten our way of life. Ms Saunders, we believe George attended Mr Ray’s show earlier today, and that Mr Ray may have done something to him to cause him to act irrationally and violently. Were you in possession of the knowledge that George was planning on attending? Had he mentioned any desire to become involved with Mr Ray? [Lilly, still sobbing] No. We were trying to work things out. I hadn’t seen him in a week until tonight… he seemed so… It wasn’t him. It wasn’t the real George. [Chief Robinson] You’re sure he wasn’t acting out of the ordinary before today, Ms Saunders? [Lilly] Of course. [Chief Robinson] Thank you. We will be in touch if we have any further questions. Interview concluded at 2041 hours. '''Cheif Robinson's personal audio logs that tell the truth behind George's dissapearence:''' Audio log - Police Chief Andrew Robinson (Year Two, Day 233, 1200 hours) I have stumbled upon a possible breach. The suspect's name is George Nada. He was reported to us by one of our many Undercovers. The Undercover reported suspicious behaviour, including staring at our enforcement messages on posters, and avoiding eye contact. The suspect was also reported to be making video recordings. The subject of these recordings is currently unknown. I have deemed the information suspicious, and will investigate further. ______________________________________________________________ (Year Two, Day 233, 1400 hours) The George Nada situation has advanced further than I thought. It has been confirmed Nada has been awoken. Hypnotist Nelson Ray has been determined to be the source of this random awakening. His whereabouts is currently unknown. Nada has been dealt with by phone. He is scheduled to die at 8am tomorrow morning. Until that time his movements will be closely fmonitored. ______________________________________________________________ (Year Two, Day 233, 1800 hours) Reports of one dead have been received. The victim appers to have been bashed to death with a brick. His utensils have also been stolen. Nada is a prime suspect. He seems to be immune to all messages. His current whereabouts is unfortunately unknown. ______________________________________________________________ (Year Two, Day 233, 2000 hours) Nada has narrowly escaped. Evidence suggests he killed two male residents of the Listless Apartments, a Mr Don Coney, and his brother, Mr Randey Coney. He has also destroyed several foetuses. The situation has now become extreme. Nada's girlfriend, identified as Lilly Saunders, was found tied up at the scene. She has been fed a cover story and may be used as a witness. She believes Nada is experiencing a mental breakdown. The hypnotist Nelson Ray has been planted as the source. I am confident she does not suspect anything more. Nada's whereabouts is still unknown, but he is suspected to be driving a vehicle belonging to Ms Saunders. Roadblocks have been set up around the city. ______________________________________________________________ (Year Two, Day 234, 0100 hours) Nada placed a phone call to me several minutes ago. He claims to have the power to wake his kind. If this is accurate the situation has escalated and could continue to full scale upheavel. We are now in pursuit of the location the call was placed from, which according to tracking results is a bar named Blinkers. I have doubts he will still be there, but at this point we have no other leads and all avenues must be explored. ______________________________________________________________ (Year Two, Day 234, 0900 hours) The situation is now catastrophic. Nada has killed several more, and broadcast a message to his kind to wake up. Those who have seen the broadcast have indeed awoken. Emergency procedures have now been activated. Extra enforcement messages are being circulated. Nada has been terminated. ______________________________________________________________ (Year Two, Day 235, 1200 hours) The emergency procedures have failed. Humans are now resisting our enforcement messages. Those awake are forming an army against us. This may be the end. George's Video Diary=